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- US Alcoholic Beverages Online Market Report 2022
This report provides comprehensive and current information and analysis of the alcoholic beverages online market including alcoholic beverages online market size, anticipated market forecast, relevant market segmentation, and industry trends for the alcoholic beverages online market in the US.
Current market landscape
Despite their sole dedication to online alcohol, third-party alcohol delivery services receive the lowest use among measured platforms consumers use to buy alcohol online. Leading online alcohol services indicate consumers’ preference for familiarity and trust, as well the convenience of buying additional, non-alcohol items. Third-party services should consider how to position their “third-partyness” as an additional layer of expertise rather than another app to download.
Amid financial challenges, eight in 10 alcohol buyers agree they would make a change to their alcohol consumption or purchase behavior to save money/cut costs. As consumers uproot shopping habits, they may be more likely to consider, or re-consider, online alcohol services. Online models should position their services as a tool that helps consumers combat inflation and stretch their food and drink budgets.
Online alcohol and grocery shopping remains elevated but has seen some drop-off as pandemic safety and health concerns ease. As of July 2022, the leading reason consumers report for not purchasing alcoholic beverages online is enjoyment of in-store browsing. Following several years of health concerns, consumers are eagerly returning to the store to engage in a missed activity, creating a strong near-term change for online models.
Market share and key industry trends
- 77% of US adults have consumed alcohol in the past three months, representing an 8% increase from July 2021-July 2022.
- • 32% of alcohol purchasers agree they would drink less alcohol as a means of combatting financial challenges, and 57% agree the fastest way to improve health is to drink less alcohol.
- 34% of Millennials purchase alcohol online, the highest among generations. However just 3% are online dominant shoppers, the lowest among generations.
- 81% of those who purchase alcohol online buy additional items with their alcohol, namely, salty snacks, other groceries and mixers, leading to more expensive e-commerce basket sizes.
Future market trends in alcoholic beverages online
Over half of alcohol buyers agree drinking at home is more enjoyable than drinking at a bar or restaurant, with the sentiment rising among Millennials, the core alcohol consumer and most active online alcohol shopper. Online models can reap the benefits of this inherent behavior by proving how their services can add even more fun and/or relaxation to at-home drinking occasions.
Read on to discover more about the alcoholic beverages online consumer market, read our US Trending Flavors and Ingredients in Alcoholic Beverages Market Report 2021, or take a look at our other Drinks market research reports.
Quickly understand alcoholic beverages online shopping
- General alcohol consumption trends.
- Services used to buy alcohol online.
- Drivers and barriers of online alcohol shopping.
- Items purchased in addition to alcohol.
- Incentives to motivate online alcohol purchases.
- Occasions for online alcohol purchases.
Covered in this alcoholic beverages online market report
Brands include: Wince of the Month, Drizly Inc, WinC, Vivino, Wine of the Month, Saucey, Target, Gopuff, TotalWine.com, Walmart, Kroger, Albertson’s, Costco, Sam’s Club, Grubhub, Doordash, Minibar.
Expert analysis from a specialist in the field
This report, written by Sydney Olson, a leading analyst in the Food and Drink sector, delivers in-depth commentary and analysis on alcoholic beverages online market research to highlight current trends and add expert context to the numbers.
Online alcohol purchases caught fire amid the pandemic as a means of combating exposure concerns. Services are now pressed to create and communicate compelling reasons for use beyond necessity. Valuable benefits, such as cost and time savings, exclusive products and offerings, or a fun and connective user experience can help online models stand apart and compete with the dominate in-store channel.
Sydney Olson
Food and Drink Analyst
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Overview
- What you need to know
- This Report looks at the following areas
- Definition
- Market context
- What you need to know
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Executive Summary
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- Top takeaways
- Market overview
- Figure 1: Fan chart of total consumer spending on alcoholic beverages at home, at current prices, 2017-27
- Figure 2: Alcoholic beverages online outlook, 2022-27
- Opportunities and challenges
- Inflation-driven shopping shifts can benefit online platforms
- Figure 3: Impact of financial challenges on alcohol, 2022
- Position online alcohol platforms as a tool for the growing sober curious audience
- Figure 4: Alcohol attitudes – Select attitudes, 2022
- Evolved gifting capabilities, next stop, party planning
- Make social media strategies less passive
- Figure 5: Trending content social posts, 2022
- Enhancing at home drinking occasions
- Figure 6: Alcohol attitudes – At-home drinking, by generation, 2022
- Generating trial requires layered incentive programs
- Figure 7: Incentives to purchase alcohol online, Turf analysis, 2022
- Associate with casual occasions to expand reach and frequency of use
- Figure 8: Occasions of consideration, 2022
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Market Size and Forecast
- Inflation keeps retail alcohol sales in the green, realities set in as conditions stabilize
- Figure 9: Fan chart of total consumer spending on alcoholic beverages at home, at current prices, 2017-27
- Figure 10: Total consumer spending on alcoholic beverages at home, at current prices, 2017-27
- Inflation keeps retail alcohol sales in the green, realities set in as conditions stabilize
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Segment Performance
- Consumers stick with at-home drinking
- Beer and RTDS drive growth, signaling high energy, value-driven at-home occasions
- Figure 11: Alcohol types purchased, 2021-2022
- Online shoppers most commonly buy wine
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- Figure 12: Alcohol types purchased, 2021-2022
- Consumers stick with at-home drinking
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Market Factors
- Online alcohol shopping proving less “sticky” than online grocery
- Figure 13: Alcohol purchase channel, 2021-22
- Inflation can increase consideration for online alcohol
- Figure 14: Impact of financial challenges on alcohol, 2022
- At-home drinking endures
- Figure 15: Alcohol attitudes – At-home drinking, by generation, 2022
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- Figure 16: At home drinking posts, 2022
- Alcohol’s impact on health takes center stage
- Figure 17: Alcohol attitudes – Select attitudes, 2022
- 2022 Trend Guiding Choice points to uptick in online alcohol
- Figure 18: Vivino Instagram posts, 2022
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- Figure 19: Alcohol attitudes – Select attitudes, by age, 2022
- Online alcohol shopping proving less “sticky” than online grocery
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Competitive Strategies and Market Opportunities
- Social media as an active, not passive, touchpoint
- Figure 20: Attitudes toward actions on social media, by generation, 2021
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- Figure 21: Trending content social posts, 2022
- Online alcohol models are evolving gifting capabilities
- Figure 22: Gifting alcohol online posts, 2022
- One stop party shop
- Figure 23: Attitudes toward winter holiday shopping – Select attitudes, 2022
- Online alcohol platforms as a tool for mindful drinking
- Figure 24: Alcohol attitudes – Select attitudes, by generation, 2022
- Serving home-tenders of all kinds
- Figure 25: Online RTD ordering, 2022
- Social media as an active, not passive, touchpoint
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The Online Alcohol Buyer Consumer – Fast Facts
- More consumers are drinking, but they are doing so less often
- Millennials are a competitive but valuable acquisition target
- Online models lack a compelling reason for use over in-store
- Online alcohol buyers are beneficial to retailers
- Demonstrate reasons for more “everyday” use
- More consumers are drinking, but they are doing so less often
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Alcohol Consumption and Frequency
- Alcohol consumption up, driven by infrequent occasions
- Figure 26: Alcohol consumption frequency, 2021-22
- Frequency underpinned by financial situation
- Figure 27: Alcohol consumption frequency, by financial situation, 2022
- Alcohol consumption up, driven by infrequent occasions
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In-Store vs Online Alcohol Purchases
- Lean into at home socialization to win competitive Millennial target
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- Figure 28: Alcohol purchase channel, by generation, 2022
- Black consumers present a strong target audience
- Figure 29: Alcohol purchase channel – Any online, by race and Hispanic origin, 2022
- Lean into at home socialization to win competitive Millennial target
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Online Alcohol Services Used
- Consumers opt for familiar “brand” names over third party
- Figure 30: Online alcohol services used, 2022
- Subscriptions services fall flat with core consumer
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- Figure 31: Online alcohol services used, by age, 2022
- In a rapidly evolving market, leading services hold onto points of difference
- Figure 32: Online alcohol services used, by reason for buying alcohol online, 2022
- Consumers opt for familiar “brand” names over third party
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Drivers and Barriers of Online Alcohol Orders
- Reasons for use are plentiful, but weak
- Figure 33: Reasons for buying alcohol online, 2022
- Parents keen on time savings, non-parents on monetary savings
- Figure 34: Reasons for buying alcohol online, by parental status, 2022
- Rivaling the in-store experience
- Figure 35: Reasons for not buying alcohol online, 2022
- The need for speed
- Figure 36: Reasons for not buying alcohol online, by age, 2022
- Reasons for use are plentiful, but weak
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Other Items Purchased
- Encourage cart building to offset barriers and evolve usage
- Figure 37: Other items purchased, 2022
- Help older consumers rack up savings with larger orders
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- Figure 38: Other items purchased, by age, 2022
- Support women with stock-ups and planning, men with immediate needs
- Figure 39: Other items purchased, by gender, 2022
- Encourage cart building to offset barriers and evolve usage
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Online Alcohol Purchase Incentives
- Layered incentives programs needed to encourage mainstream trial
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- Figure 40: Incentives to purchase alcohol online, 2022
- Figure 41: Incentives to purchase alcohol online, Turf analysis, 2022
- Personal and social tactics can win younger drinkers
- Figure 42: Incentives to purchase alcohol online, by generation, 2022
- Layered incentives programs needed to encourage mainstream trial
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Occasions for Online Alcohol Purchases
- Reach a more mainstream audience by casualizing usage occasions
- Go niche by becoming a destination for party shopping
- Figure 43: Occasions of consideration, 2022
- The urban opportunity
- Figure 44: Occasions of consideration, by area, 2022
- Those with hybrid work schedules are an opportune target
- Figure 45: Occasions of consideration, by work status, 2022
- Reach a more mainstream audience by casualizing usage occasions
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Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
- Data sources
- Sales data
- Forecast
- Consumer survey data
- Consumer qualitative research
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Data sources
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Appendix – The Market
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- Figure 46: Total consumer spending on alcoholic beverages at home, at current prices, 2017-22
- Figure 47: Total consumer spending on alcoholic beverages at home, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2017-22
- Figure 48: Average annual household spending on alcoholic beverages at home, 2017-22
- Figure 49: Distribution of alcoholic beverage sales for home consumption, by channel, at current prices, 2011-21
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